I'm planning to shop at the mall the day after Thanksgiving. And shopping makes me hungry. So, HG, can I indulge in a Cinnabon, a slice of Sbarro pizza, or one of those icing-covered pretzels while I shop? Won't I just burn all those calories while walking around?

Shoppin' & Chewin'

Dear Shoppin' & Chewin',

Shopping is fun -- but food court grub is bad news for the most part. Shopping is one of the few things that takes my mind off of food (that's the good news for those of you who are the same way!). However, it sounds like you have got YOUR mind made up and REALLY want to chew on some mall food. So, here's the scoop...

An average 150-lb. human burns about 185 calories per hour of nonstop shopping (which is not a huge number, especially considering that same person burns about 70 calories per hour just sitting around). So if that person decided to eat the following, here's how much time they'd need to spend powering through the mall to burn it off...

Keep in mind, NONE of the above options are great ones, as far as meals or snacks are concerned. For a sweet snack while shopping, you're better off keeping Quaker Mini Delights in Cinnamon Streusel (90 calories, 3.5g fat -- POINTS® value 2*) on hand to kill that Cinnabon craving. If you've gotta break down and have the Sbarro pizza, definitely stick with the plain thin-crust cheese slice instead of that other loaded one -- it'll save you 70 calories and 4g fat, but know that it still packs in 460 calories and 13g fat (POINTS® value 10*). If you NEED to have a pretzel, go for a plain one (no butter!), and it'll only have about 340 calories & 1g fat (POINTS® value 6*). Your best bet is definitely to find some lean meats and veggies while at the mall (my advice -- hit the deli for a protein-packed salad with low-cal dressing!). Hope you find some great sales!

Dear HG,

Thanksgiving is HERE, and I am freaking. I do NOT want to overeat. Help me, HG!

Gobble Gobble

Dear Gobble Gobble,

I'm glad you emailed asking for help -- that's a good start. Here's the deal. I know you may have heard some of these before, but there are a few dos and don'ts you really should follow on Thanksgiving to avoid overeating. They'll help -- I promise. First, do NOT starve yourself before the big meal. Eat breakfast. Eat a light meal a few hours before the turkey dinner, too. Do NOT sit down to Thanksgiving dinner when you're STARVING. That is a really bad idea. And have a glass (or two) of water before you start eating, to take the edge off of your hunger. That's an old trick that really works well. When you fill up your plate, stick with white meat turkey (not dark). Take lots of veggies and/or salad, and not as much of the fattening sides. Have tastes of the things you really love, but don't overdo it. Stick with small portions of dishes like green bean casserole (unless it's our low-cal version!), sweet potato pie (we've got a swap!), stuffing (yep, here's HG's version), mashed potatoes, etc. If you feel the need for seconds, go for more white meat turkey and veggies. When it's time for dessert, you shouldn't be too hungry, so instead of having a huge piece of pie with ice cream, have a mini dessert. Need more help? Check out HG's Turkey Day Cheat Sheet on Yahoo! and our full Turkey Day Survival Guide from last Friday. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

CHEW ON THIS:Hungry Girl will be on vacation from 11/22 - 11/25. We'll be back on Monday, 11/26, with our news. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

HG NEWS YOU CAN USE:Need a quick and delicious guilt-free appetizer idea? Try some Spiced Shrimp Cocktail, courtesy of McCormick®. Click here for the 411!

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*The Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by Weight Watchers International, Inc., the owner of the Points® registered trademark